BIRDS, CATERPILLARS, AND PLANT LICE. 127 



twice and ate plant lice and some small larvae. Three Red-eyed Vireos 

 came to the oak trees and ate the larva; from the leaves and the plant 

 lice from the birch leaves. 



June 3, 1898. — I went to the park near the boulevard. Saw an 

 Oriole take four forest tent caterpillars, one at a time, and carry them 

 away to its young. A Yellow Warbler was eating plant lice for fifteen 

 minutes, although it rained quite hard. A pair of Oven-birds were 

 feeding on plant lice for a long time. Several Chestnut-sided Warblers 

 came to the birch trees and ate plant lice, then went to the oaks and 

 poplars and took larvae of different kinds and ate them. A Catbird was 

 picking larvae from the under sides of the leaves ; most of them were 

 green larvae. Two Chewinks (Towhees) were scratching in the leaves, 

 but I could not see what they got from the ground. They took some 

 forest tent caterpillars from the trunks of the oaks. A Maryland Yel- 

 low-throat came out of the thick brush and ate plant lice for about ten 

 minutes. A Rose-breasted Grosbeak was busy in the oak trees. He 

 came to the birches for a moment and ate plant lice. A Red-eyed 

 Vireo ate two forest tent caterpillars, taking them from the under side 

 of a limb. The Indigo Bird could not be easily observed ; he was evi- 

 dently eating plant lice. The Brown Thrush could not be seen dis- 

 tinctly ; he was searching in the fallen leaves. A Black-billed Cuckoo 

 had a nest near, and carried forest tent caterpillars to its mate. 



June 6, 1898. — The Red-eyed Vireos seem to be feeding on more 

 gipsy larvae than the other birds that come near enough to be observed. 

 They will take a larva from the under side of a leaf or a crevice in 

 the bark, and, putting one foot on the larva, will proceed-to pull it to 

 pieces, eating the softer parts and dropping the hairy parts. An Oven- 

 bird came to the colony and ate four of the small larvae, picking them 

 from the under sides of the leaves. I saw a Black and White Warbler 

 carrying cankerworms to its young ; it would take two and sometimes 

 three at a time. A Baltimore Oriole was taking tent caterpillars to its 

 young, taking those that were on the outside of the nest. A male Bobo- 

 link came to the birch trees and remained about twenty minutes, picking 

 plant lice. The Field Sparrows and Indigo Birds were also busy feed- 

 ing on plant lice. A Wood Thrush took the cankerworms away to its 

 young. A Chewink took two tent caterpillars from a bush and ate them. 

 A Scarlet Tanager flew from the oaks into the apple tree and ate canker- 

 worms. The Chestnut-sided Warblers were the most plentiful of any 

 of the birds, and were eating plant lice almost constantly. 



June 8, 1898. — I went to the park, Stoneham, near Spot Pond, to 

 observe the feeding habits of birds. A pair of Brown Thrushes were 

 feeding their young ; they averaged going to the nest one every five 

 minutes, and carried several larvae each time. A Kingbird caught a 

 Buprestid beetle and ate it. I had made an attempt at catching it when 

 it was on the trunk of the apple tree ; it flew, and was snapped up by 

 the Kingbird. This orchard is infested with cankerworms. It is situ- 



